François-GuilhemVaissier

Partner

Paris + 33.1.56.59.39.70

François-Guilhem Vaissier has extensive experience in structuring, developing, and financing major energy transition, energy security, and infrastructure projects on a global scale. He is an award-winning lawyer whose practice focuses on the transactional and regulatory issues of international projects (including design, construction, operation, and maintenance).

François-Guilhem leads large venture projects in France (high-speed railways, motorways, road tunnels, co-generation plants, onshore and offshore wind farms, and luxury hotel refurbishments), Europe (hydropower and solar plants, underwater tunnels, and wastewater concessions), Africa (hydropower plants, aluminum smelter, cogeneration plants, railways, cement plants, toll roads, mining concessions, and pipelines), Asia (the first public-private partnership for a metro project in India), and the Middle East (metro, airport, real estate development, and financing).

Many of the matters François-Guilhem worked on have been awarded "best deal" honors by leading legal publications, such as the Dakar toll motorway in Senegal, the HKB toll bridge in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), a cogeneration power plant located in Ivory Coast, two hydropower projects in Gabon, and the longest high-speed railway concession in France.

In addition, he recently represented a major U.S. energy company in the negotiation of a new production sharing contract related to a very significant hydrocarbon asset in Algeria, a landmark transaction. He also advised a joint venture on a large-scale green hydrogen and green ammonia project in Egypt.

François-Guilhem wrote and coordinated the French chapter of the first nine editions of The Public Private Partnership Law Review. He teaches at the University of Paris Nanterre's diploma in transitional energy law, investment law, and international arbitration.

Experience

  • Taranis Investment Limited, a Perenco group company, acquires Africa business of the Akuo GroupJones Day advised Taranis Investment Limited, a Perenco group company, in the acquisition of the African project portfolio from Akuo Energy Afrique, a renewable energy developer.
  • EAAIF, FMO, and DEG finance AXIAN Energy's solar power plant project in region of Kolda in SenegalJones Day advised The Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF) and the Nederlandse Financierings Maatschappij Voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO), acting as co-mandated lead arrangers, alongside Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) in connection with a €84 million loan provided to AXIAN Energy to finance a 60 MW solar energy and 72 MWh energy storage system in Senegal.